Just took a week holiday to Japan.
This time I stayed in Tokyo City throughout the whole trip.
It’s actually quite interesting to see how different and similar the people in other country behave when compare to Singaporean and also what is different in the Society.
Firstly some facts:
Tokyo : Area 2,187.08 km², Population 12,570,000, Density 5796 /km²
Singapore : Area 704.0 km² Population 4,680,600, Density 6369.2/km²
Look like in Singapore we have less personal space then in our friends in Tokyo. But of cause we must remember there are lots of people who work in Tokyo actually does not live there, they usually travel from the suburb or even from nearby city like Yokohama.
What I like about Tokyo:
1) The have the most amazing trains system.
The trains are incredibly on time. And I don’t have to wait more then 2 min for a train during peak hour and not more then 4 min during off-peak. And judging from the complexity and the number of the lines and company Singapore's transport sucks big time.
2) People actually stand on the left of the escalator no matter where
They are doing this in shopping center, subways….etc etc. I shall say anything about what is happening in Singapore.
3) People are skilled walkers and you don’t see bloody baby prams around.
In a crowded area, I don’t get people banging in me not like in Seoul and Singapore. And people don’t bring their prams to crowded areas. One reason I find is that most parents prefer to carry their babies and they could rent prams at most department stores. In fact the only pram I saw in Shinjuku belong to a Singaporean’s couple.
4) Nobody talk on the mobile phone in the public.
I find this really amazing. People actually do respect others people rights to a quite train ride. Nobody, I repeat nobody talk on the mobile phone in the train, nor do they walk around talking on the phone. Their phones are normally on silent on the trains and when they need to talk on their phone, they actually stand at a secluded place to talk. In Singapore? We get teenagers blasting their music or ring tones on the MRT daily.
5) Prices are fairly fixed.
Prices for most items are quite standardized everywhere. You won’t be afraid of being conned since you are a tourist.
6) Cheap Toys and Food.
One of my main objective for my trip this year is to get some toys. Looking at the prices of some toys by the 奸商 in Singapore, I am laughing my way to the bank. Also for the same quality of food in Singapore, I find it cheaper in Japan.
What I like about Singapore:
…………………………………………………..
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Stupid Standard Charted Bank
Been receiving tele-marketers calls on behalf of Standard Charted bank quite often these days.
They are different 3rd parties companies working for SC and they can be quite persistent.
Heard from other sources that Standard Charted are one of the more aggressive telemarketing bank around.
Told SC to removed my name from their calling list for 3 times already, and also wrote a couple of complainst to their website and I only got a lousy standard computer generated reply.
I also wrote in to their CEO but don’t seem to get any reply leh.
So folks do help to write to the CEO is you receive hard selling tactics from Standard Charted.
Geez….. I thought there are some law against spamming.
Lim Cheng Teck
CEO
Singapore
Standard Chartered Bank
6 Battery Road
#05-00
Singapore 049909
They are different 3rd parties companies working for SC and they can be quite persistent.
Heard from other sources that Standard Charted are one of the more aggressive telemarketing bank around.
Told SC to removed my name from their calling list for 3 times already, and also wrote a couple of complainst to their website and I only got a lousy standard computer generated reply.
I also wrote in to their CEO but don’t seem to get any reply leh.
So folks do help to write to the CEO is you receive hard selling tactics from Standard Charted.
Geez….. I thought there are some law against spamming.
Lim Cheng Teck
CEO
Singapore
Standard Chartered Bank
6 Battery Road
#05-00
Singapore 049909
Monday, October 08, 2007
Singapore Police At Work
Check out this clip showing the Singapore Police Force Filiming people outside Burma Embassy.
Look carefully at the police with the video cam.
I was trying very hard to see but the at the polo T he is wearing seem to have a Singapore airlines logo and word at the back just bellow his collar.
Wah SPF so poor have to wear a company T-Shirt.
Look carefully at the police with the video cam.
I was trying very hard to see but the at the polo T he is wearing seem to have a Singapore airlines logo and word at the back just bellow his collar.
Wah SPF so poor have to wear a company T-Shirt.
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Greed
Just 3 days after the fare hikes and we see this. Good info.
ST Oct 3, 2007
Bus and train trips hit record levels
SMRT and SBS Transit could earn $20.7m more in fares as average daily rides rise to 4.4m
By Christopher Tan
SINGAPORE'S bus and train operators are reaping the benefit of a surge in public transport use that has sent ridership to record levels - despite fare hikes. (What other choice we have? Walk to work?)
The country's growing population, higher tourist numbers and booming economy are behind the marked increase in usage.
An average of 4.363 million rides were made on buses and trains each day in the financial year ended March 31, said the Land Transport Authority.
This pips the previous high of 4.358 million daily rides in 2001.
And figures from SMRT and SBS Transit show that daily ridership has hit 4.438 million in the April to June period of the current financial year.
Financial second-quarter numbers are not out yet but preliminary data from the two firms indicates that ridership is set to cross 4.5 million.
The striking increases - they even caught financial analysts by surprise - have reversed a worrying sign of two years ago when ridership slumped to a seven-year low.
An appreciable rise in Singapore's population - which grew 4.4 per cent to 4.68 million at the end of June - is a key factor behind the ridership growth, which in turn will swell the coffers of transport operators.
Based on average fares, the extra rides, if sustained, will translate to $20.7 million more in turnover for the two companies - a $12.4 million rise in bus revenue and an $8.3 million increase in rail revenue a year.
Analysts had factored in the positive trend but were still taken aback by the increase.
ABN Amro Asia Securities analyst Fera Wirawan said in a report on ComfortDelGro, the parent company of SBS Transit: 'Bus ridership in the first half of 2007 has exceeded our forecasts for the 2007 financial year by 2 per cent, while that for rail has almost reached our target.'
She is now projecting bus ridership to grow by 3.3 per cent for the 2008 financial year.
Citigroup Singapore strategist Lim Jit Soon said that besides the growth in Singapore's population, a higher employment rate and more tourist arrivals are also driving ridership numbers.
SBS Transit spokesman Tammy Tan said more people moving to Sengkang and Punggol has boosted ridership on the North-East MRT line. The system carried 307,062 passengers a day in July - 56 per cent up on July 2004.
Ms Wirawan expects ridership on that line to continue chalking up 'double-digit growth' for at least two more years. (Yeah more profit!)
But observers point out that the two transport operators would have to earn their keep.
The Public Transport Council (PTC) has just raised service standards for buses, which will mean more vehicles will have to be put on the road to meet them.
The council wants at least 80 per cent of bus services to run at frequencies of not more than 10 minutes during weekday peak hours, down from 15 minutes now. (Easy they just have to reduce the frequency during off peak.)
Bus companies have two years to comply. (Why 2 year? Shouldn't they comply before the fare hike?)
Rail standards are not under the PTC's purview.
Analysts said the transport companies will also continue to face cost pressures from rising fuel prices, higher Central Provident Fund contributions and a higher Goods and Services Tax rate. (I thought a listed compnay can claim GST from the gov? Correct me if I am wrong)
Ms Wirawan said: 'In a buoyant labour market, you need to raise salaries by more than usual to keep people.'
On top of the revenue growth from rising ridership, SBS Transit is expected to gain $9.3 million from the latest fare revision which took place on Monday, while SMRT will reap $3 million. (Bloody blood suckers)
ST Oct 3, 2007
Bus and train trips hit record levels
SMRT and SBS Transit could earn $20.7m more in fares as average daily rides rise to 4.4m
By Christopher Tan
SINGAPORE'S bus and train operators are reaping the benefit of a surge in public transport use that has sent ridership to record levels - despite fare hikes. (What other choice we have? Walk to work?)
The country's growing population, higher tourist numbers and booming economy are behind the marked increase in usage.
An average of 4.363 million rides were made on buses and trains each day in the financial year ended March 31, said the Land Transport Authority.
This pips the previous high of 4.358 million daily rides in 2001.
And figures from SMRT and SBS Transit show that daily ridership has hit 4.438 million in the April to June period of the current financial year.
Financial second-quarter numbers are not out yet but preliminary data from the two firms indicates that ridership is set to cross 4.5 million.
The striking increases - they even caught financial analysts by surprise - have reversed a worrying sign of two years ago when ridership slumped to a seven-year low.
An appreciable rise in Singapore's population - which grew 4.4 per cent to 4.68 million at the end of June - is a key factor behind the ridership growth, which in turn will swell the coffers of transport operators.
Based on average fares, the extra rides, if sustained, will translate to $20.7 million more in turnover for the two companies - a $12.4 million rise in bus revenue and an $8.3 million increase in rail revenue a year.
Analysts had factored in the positive trend but were still taken aback by the increase.
ABN Amro Asia Securities analyst Fera Wirawan said in a report on ComfortDelGro, the parent company of SBS Transit: 'Bus ridership in the first half of 2007 has exceeded our forecasts for the 2007 financial year by 2 per cent, while that for rail has almost reached our target.'
She is now projecting bus ridership to grow by 3.3 per cent for the 2008 financial year.
Citigroup Singapore strategist Lim Jit Soon said that besides the growth in Singapore's population, a higher employment rate and more tourist arrivals are also driving ridership numbers.
SBS Transit spokesman Tammy Tan said more people moving to Sengkang and Punggol has boosted ridership on the North-East MRT line. The system carried 307,062 passengers a day in July - 56 per cent up on July 2004.
Ms Wirawan expects ridership on that line to continue chalking up 'double-digit growth' for at least two more years. (Yeah more profit!)
But observers point out that the two transport operators would have to earn their keep.
The Public Transport Council (PTC) has just raised service standards for buses, which will mean more vehicles will have to be put on the road to meet them.
The council wants at least 80 per cent of bus services to run at frequencies of not more than 10 minutes during weekday peak hours, down from 15 minutes now. (Easy they just have to reduce the frequency during off peak.)
Bus companies have two years to comply. (Why 2 year? Shouldn't they comply before the fare hike?)
Rail standards are not under the PTC's purview.
Analysts said the transport companies will also continue to face cost pressures from rising fuel prices, higher Central Provident Fund contributions and a higher Goods and Services Tax rate. (I thought a listed compnay can claim GST from the gov? Correct me if I am wrong)
Ms Wirawan said: 'In a buoyant labour market, you need to raise salaries by more than usual to keep people.'
On top of the revenue growth from rising ridership, SBS Transit is expected to gain $9.3 million from the latest fare revision which took place on Monday, while SMRT will reap $3 million. (Bloody blood suckers)
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Reminder
Just to remind everyone how F**K our public transport system is.
From yesterday, I am $0.02 poorer per day or $7.30 more profit annually for SBS (at least).
Project for Blogger on 4th Oct
Something for you guys to post on the 4th Oct.
http://beautifultobehold.wordpress.com/2007/09/29/free-burma/
http://beautifultobehold.wordpress.com/2007/09/29/free-burma/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)